Enhanced Fenton-like process via interfacial electron donating of pollutants over in situ Cobalt-doped graphitic carbon nitride.

[Display omitted] The heterogeneous Fenton process suffers from low efficiency because of the low electron transfer cycle rate of Fe3+/Fe2+, which often consumes enormous amounts of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2) or other energy. Herein, we report a novel Co-based Fenton-like catalyst (in-situ -Co-g-C 3 N 4) synthesized via the surface complexation method, in which Co species were modified in situ into the framework of the graphitic carbon nitride (g-C 3 N 4) substrate through C–O–Co chemical bonding. The catalyst exhibited higher Fenton-like catalytic activity than pure g-C 3 N 4 in the degradation of various pollutants under neutral conditions, as evidenced by the approximately 150-fold higher Fenton-like reaction rate constant of in-situ -Co-g-C 3 N 4 than that of g-C 3 N 4. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations and a series of experimental and characterization analyses revealed the interfacial reaction mechanism between H 2 O 2 , pollutants and in-situ -Co-g-C 3 N 4. During the Fenton-like reaction, the electron-poor C center on the aromatic ring of g-C 3 N 4 could capture the electrons deprived from pollutants, and subsequently deliver them to around the electron-rich Co center to efficiently reduce H 2 O 2 to hydroxyl radicals (•OH), enabling H 2 O 2 to be used efficiently for the degradation of pollutants. This study provides a strategy for improving Fenton-like degradation efficiency by effectively utilizing the energy of organic pollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]